Holder for flanged parts



May 2, 1967 H. R. LANDIS 3,317,087

HOLDER FOR FLANGED PARTS Filed Sept. 25, 1964 relation.

- flanges.

United States Patent 3,317,087 HOLDER FOR FLANGED PARTS Henry Richard Landis, Oaklawn, Ill., assignor to Landis Plastics, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 399,264 8 Claims. (Cl. 222143) This invention relates to a holder for tubular parts such as cylindrical cans having flanges projecting radially and outwardly from their ends, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a novel device for holding two such parts releasably in assembled relation.

A more detailed object is to provide a novel holding device for retaining two parts assembled in axially aligned relation by gripping the flanges of the respective parts releasably.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of two containers retained in assembled relation by a holder embodying the novel features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 with one container removed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the holder;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the holder and one container with one edge of the holder shown in section;

FIG. 6 is a reduced fragmentary side elevational view of the modified holder and flanged part;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the modified flanged part of FIG. 6 partially broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 8--8 of FIG. 7 and showing the modified flanged part with the modified holder of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a top elevational view of another modified holder; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

The present invention is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration embodied in a holder 12 which is especially adapted for holding two tubular parts 13 and 14 releasably assembled together in axially aligned The parts have flanges 15 projecting radially and outwardly from tubular side walls 16 adjacent the ends of the walls and, in the form shown in'FIGS. 1 through 5, 9 and 10, are cylinders of circular right section of the type normally used to contain food and having flanges at both ends. When assembled together with the holder, two containers form a double unit convenient to handle and merchandise.

In general, the holder 12 comprises a tubular wall 17 having an inner surface 18 complementary in shape to the outer edges of the flanges 15 on the containers 13 and 14 to be assembled and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges. The telescoping movement is limited by a stop 19 which projects radially and inwardly from the holder wall intermediate the ends of the wall to engage the ends of the containers and position the containers with respect to the holder. Also projecting radially and inwardly from the wall on opposite sides of the stop are holding members 20 and 21. These members are spaced from the stop to receive the flanges and hook around and engage the flanges to hold the containers against the stop. With the holder formed of resilient material the tubular wall and holding members stretch to receive the flanges of a container and the members snap behind and grip the A suitable material is polyethylene.

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The flanges 15 on the containers being circular, the tubular wall 17a of the holder 12 is cylindrical and its inner surface 18 is of a complementary circular cross sectional shape. The stop 19 is a flat rib which, to simplify the dies for formation of the holder as a plastic injection molded part, preferably is continuous and extends completely around the periphery of the holder. To further simplify the construction and reduce material needed, the rib extends radially only a portion of the way to the center of the holder ring. The holding members 20 and 21 are formed as inwardly projecting flanges and also are preferably continuous. Herein, the holder flanges taper inwardly and their spacing from the rib is correlated with the thickness of the flanges on the containers to achieve a tight fit with the container flanges, both holder flanges being spaced the same distance from the rib so that the holder is symmetrical about the rib. To provide a pleasing appearance, the cylindrical tubular wall has a smooth outer surface.

In the use of the improved holder ring 12, the flange 20 on one side of the center rib 19 is stretched over the flange 15 on a container 13 until the end of the container engages the rib and the flange on the holder snaps behind the container flange. With the container flange fitting tightly in the recess between the holder flange and the rib, the holder grips the container firmly. A second container 14 then is inserted within the other holder flange 21 until the end of the container is against the other side of the rib and the other holder flange snaps behind the container flange. The two containers then are held securely together so that one may be lifted with the other but is easily releasable therefrom by stretching the associated holder flange and pulling the containers apart.

The improved holder also may be utilized with other flanged parts such, for example, as a cap 22 for one of the flanged containers. Such a cap and a modified holder 12a for the same are shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. The cap is of inverted cup shape with a cylindrical side wall 23 and a top wall 24. If desired the latter may have circular perforations 25 and a movable funnel member 26 for dispensing the contents of a container 14a which is closed by the cap. An internal flange 27 on the side wall co-operates with the top wall to define a recess to receive the container flange in the manner of the preferred holder described above.

The modified holder 12a is similar to the preferred holder 12 in the provision of a cylindrical wall 17a and the arrangement of one flange 20a on one side of the stop 19a. The latter, however, instead of being simply a rib projecting only part of the way across the ring, is an imperforate wall which completely covers the top wall 24 of the cap. Also the flange 21a on the other side of the stop is spaced farther from the stop than the first flange to co-operate with an outwardly projecting flange 28 on the lower portion of the cylindrical wall 23 of the cap.

The modified holder 12a operates in a manner similar to the preferred construction if the cap 22 is considered as corresponding to the lower container 14 of FIG. 1. With the holder assembled on the cap and the cap on one container 14a, the upper flange 20a is ready to receive the bottom flange 15 of another container. If desired, the modified holder may be utilized as a snap cover for the perforated top wall 24 of the cap after the containers have been separated.

In another modified holder 12b shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the stop 1% is extended to form a wall 29. Rather than being imperforate, however, this wall is formed with perforations 30 for dispensing the contents of an opened container fitting releasably within one of the flanges 2011 and 21b. Although continuous flanges are preferred, an interrupted construction may be used as in the case of the upper flange 20b in FIGS. 9 and 10. In other respects, this modified holder is like the preferred holder 12 of FIGS. 1 to 5.

It will be apparent that the improved holder 12 described above provides a convenient and inexpensive means for securing two flanged objects together to form, in effect, a single package. Not only is the holder simple to manufacture and manipulate, but it also may form either an imperforate closure (FIG. 8) or a perforated closure (FIGS. 7, 9 and 10).

I claim:

1. The combination of longitudinally aligned tubular parts having flanges projecting radially and outwardly adjacent ends of the parts and holder comprising a tubular wall having an inner surface complementary in shape to said flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, an intermediate wall extending radially and inwardly from said inner surface intermediate the ends to form a closure, said intermediate wall constituting a stop to engage said ends of said parts and limit the telescoping movement of said flanges with respect to the inner surface, a first retaining member projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on one side of said stop and spaced from the stop to hook behind said flange of a part engaging that side of the stop to hold the part assembled releasably to the holder, and a second retaining member projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on the other side of said stop and spaced from the stop to hook behind said flange of another part engaging that side of the stop to hold the part assembled releasably to the holder, one of said tubular parts constituting a cap adapted to fit over one end of an elongated flanged container and having a perforated end wall for dispensing the container contents and an internal flange adapted to engage behind a flange on the container to hold the cap assembled releasably on the container.

2. The combination of two tubular parts aligned longitudinally and having flanges projecting radially and outwardly from adjacent ends of the parts and a holder comprising a tubular wall having an inner surface complementary in shape to said flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, intermediate stop means projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface intermediate the ends of said tubular wall to engage said ends of said parts and limit the telescoping movement of said flanges with respect to the inner surface, a first retaining member projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on one side of said stop means and spaced from the stop means to hook behind said flange of a part engaging that side of the stop means to hold the part assembled releasably to the holder, and a second retaining member projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on the other side of said stop means and spaced from the stop means to hook behind said flange of another part engaging that side of the stop means to hold the part assembled releasably to the holder.

3. A holder for longitudinally aligned cylindrical parts having flanges projecting radially and outwardly adjacent ends of the parts, said holder comprising a cylindrical wall of flexible material having an inner cylindrical surface complementary in size and shape to the outer edges of said flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, an intermediate wall extending radially and inwardly from said inner surface intermediate the ends of the surface to form a closure, said intermediate wall providing a stop to engage the ends of parts having said flanges telescoping with said inner surface, a first flange projecting radially and inwardly from said surface on one side of said intermediate wall and spaced axially from the wall to hook behind and retain said flange of a part engaging the wall on said side of the wall, and a second flange projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on the other side of said intermediate wall and spaced axially from the wall to hook behind and retain said flange of a part engaging the wall on the other side of the wall.

4. A holder for tubular parts having flanges projecting radially and outwardly adjacent the ends of the parts, said holder comprising a tubular wall having an inner surface complementary in shape to said flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, an intermediate wall projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surfaces to form a closure intermediate the ends of said tubular wall, said wall forming a stop to engage said ends of said parts and limit the telescoping movement of said flanges with respect to said inner surface, a first retaining member projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on one side of said stop means and spaced from the stop means to hook behind said flange of a part engaging that side of the stop means to hold the part assembled releasably to the holder, and a second retaining member projecting radially and inwardl yfrom said inner surface on the other side of said stop means and spaced from the stop means to hook behind said flange of another part engaging that side of the stop means to hold the part assembled releasably to the holder.

5. A holder for longitudinally aligned cylindrical parts having flanges projecting radially and outwardly from adjacent ends of the parts, said holder comprising a cylindrical wall of flexible material having an inner cylindrical surface complementary in size and shape to the outer edges of said flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, a continuous rib projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface intermediate the ends of the surface and adapted to engage the ends of parts having said flanges telescoping with the inner surface, a first continuous flange projecting radially and inwardly from said surface on one side of said rib and spaced axially from the rib to hook behind and retain said flange of a part engaging the rib on said side of the rib, and. a second continuous flange projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on the other side of said rib and spaced axially from the rib to hook behind and retain said flange of a part engaging the rib on the other side of the rib.

6. A holder for longitudinally aligned cylindrical parts having flanges projecting radially and outwardly from adjacent ends of the parts, said holder comprising a cylindrical wall of flexible material having an inner cylindrical surface complementary in size and shape to the outer edges of said flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, a rib projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface intermediate the ends of the surface and adapted to engage the ends of parts having said flanges telescoping with the inner surface, a first flange projecting radially and inwardly from said surface on one side of said rib and spaced axially from the rib to hook behind and retain said flange of a part engaging the rib on said side of the rib, and a second flange projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on the other side of said rib and spaced axially from the rib to hook behind and retain said flange of a part engaging the rib on the other side of the rib.

7. For use with two containers having end portions of the same size and shape with flanges projecting radially and outwardly from their ends, a holder having a tubular outer wall of flexible material with an inner surface complementary in shape to the outer edges of said container flanges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, an intermediate rib projecting radially and inwardly from a portion of said inner surface intermediate the ends of the surface, a first flange projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface and spaced from said rib on one side of the rib, and a second flange projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface 5 and spaced from said rib on the opposite side of the rib, said first and second flanges hooking behind said flanges of said containers to hold the containers assembled releasably to the holder with the ends of the containers engaging said rib.

8. A holder for tubular parts having flanges projecting radially and outwardly from adjacent ends of the parts, said holder comprising a tubular wall having an inner surface complementary in shape to said fianges and adapted to telescope closely with the flanges, intermediate stop means projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface intermediate the ends of said tubular Wall to engage said ends of said parts and limit the telescoping movement of said flanges with respect to the inner surface, a first retaining member projecting radially and inwardly from said inner surface on one side of said stop means and spaced from the stop means to hook behind said flange of a part engaging that side of the stop References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,310 8/1942 Wilkins 220-97 X 2,975,946 3/1961 Westgate 222-480 3,058,630 10/1962 Abt 222484 3,177,015 4/1965 Brown 285-436 3,180,537 4/1965 Collins 222--l43 X 3,223,297 12/1965 Nyden 222-485 X RAPHAEL M. LUlO, Primary Examiner. 

2. THE COMBINATION OF TWO TUBULAR PARTS ALIGNED LONGITUDINALLY AND HAVING FLANGES PROJECTING RADIALLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM ADJACENT ENDS OF THE PARTS AND A HOLDER COMPRISING A TUBULAR WALL HAVING AN INNER SURFACE COMPLEMENTARY IN SHAPE TO SAID FLANGES AND ADAPTED TO TELESCOPE CLOSELY WITH THE FLANGES, INTERMEDIATE STOP MEANS PROJECTING RADIALLY AND INWARDLY FROM SAID INNER SURFACE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID TUBULAR WALL TO ENGAGE SAID ENDS OF SAID PARTS AND LIMIT THE TELESCOPING MOVEMENT OF SAID FLANGES WITH RESPECT TO THE INNER SURFACE, A FIRST RETAINING MEMBER PROJECTING RADIALLY AND INWARDLY FROM SAID INNER SURFACE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID STOP MEANS AND SPACED FROM THE STOP MEANS TO HOOK BEHIND SAID FLANGE OF A PART ENGAGING THAT SIDE OF THE STOP MEANS TO HOLD THE PART ASSEMBLED RELEASABLY TO THE HOLDER, AND A SECOND RETAINING MEMBER PROJECTING RADIALLY AND INWARDLY FROM SAID INNER SURFACE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID STOP MEANS AND SPACED FROM THE STOP MEANS TO HOOK BEHIND SAID FLANGE OF ANOTHER PART ENGAGING THAT SIDE OF THE STOP MEANS TO HOLD THE PART ASSEMBLED RELEASABLY TO THE HOLDER. 